ByTime vs LockHour Pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
ByTime
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Earn your screen time. Most screen-time apps work by taking things away. ByTime works by giving them back β but only when you've earned them. Focus for a few minutes, and minutes drop into your wallet. When you want to use Instagram, TikTok, or any app you've blocked, you spend from what you earned. No daily quotas. No willpower contests. No guilt afterwards. It's the simplest behaviour change there is: you can have it, you just have to earn it first. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps and websites you want to keep at arm's length. 2. Run a focus session. Three minutes, thirty minutes β your call. 3. Spend what you've earned. Tap the shield over a blocked app, choose how many minutes to spend, and it opens. When the minutes run out, the shield comes back. A WALLET, NOT A WARDEN Your earned minutes sit in a balance you can see at a glance. Carry minutes forward. Spend them on whatever you want, in whatever order you want. The app doesn't decide what's important β you do. A FOCUS SESSION YOU CAN LIVE WITH The session screen is dominated by a slow, ambient surface that breathes for as long as you focus β Aurora, Sunset, Observatory, and a handful of other shader-rendered backgrounds you can pick from. The timer is there when you need it, but it isn't the loudest thing on the screen. And the reward you're earning sits next to the time you have left, so the session is about what you're gaining, not just what you're spending. BUILT ON THE 8-8-8 BALANCE Eight hours of focus. Eight hours of reward. Eight hours of sleep. ByTime is built around the idea that a day works best when those three are in rough balance β and your screen time belongs in the reward eight, paid for by the focus eight. You set the daily targets; the wallet does the accounting. A REWARD, NOT A PUNISHMENT The earn-then-spend loop works the way brains actually respond to incentives: positive reinforcement instead of punishment, delayed gratification instead of impulse. You're not being scolded for picking up your phone β you're being paid for putting it down. PRIVACY THE WAY APPLE INTENDED ByTime is built on Apple's Screen Time APIs (FamilyControls, ManagedSettings, DeviceActivity). Your usage data never leaves your device. We don't collect it, we don't see it, and we don't sell it. CALM, PREMIUM, INTENTIONAL Dark-first interface, tactile glass surfaces, fluid motion. ByTime is designed to feel like a well-made instrument β a tool you reach for, not one that scolds you. WHO IT'S FOR β Students who lose hours to TikTok between every study block and want their phone back on their own terms. β Anyone who's tried five blockers and felt punished by all of them. β Adults who want to spend less time scrolling and more time on what they actually planned to do. WHAT IT'S NOT β Not a parental control app. ByTime is built for self-management; you set your own rules. β Not a streak machine. There are no fires to lose, no badges to chase, no scoreboards. β Not a shame engine. The app never tells you you've used your phone too much. It just shows you what you've earned. Earn it. Spend it. Stop fighting your phone.
LockHour Pro
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Block the apps that steal your time β and get your focus back. LockHour Pro is a calm, beautiful focus app that locks distracting apps during the time you set, then unlocks them automatically. No willpower required. Just start a session and stay on track. Whether youβre working, studying, winding down for sleep, or trying not to reach for your phone first thing in the morning, LockHour Pro puts a gentle, intentional layer between you and the apps that pull you away. WHY YOUβLL LOVE IT β’ One tap to focus β start a session and your chosen apps are shielded instantly β’ A beautiful countdown that makes focused time feel rewarding β’ Build streaks and watch your reclaimed hours add up FOCUS MODES FOR EVERY MOMENT β’ Quick Focus β a short lock to get started β’ Deep Work β protect a serious work block β’ Study Mode β Pomodoro-style cycles with breaks β’ Sleep Wind Down β stop late-night scrolling β’ Morning Reset β start your day before the scroll β’ Custom β set your own length HARD MODE Add a calm moment of friction before you can stop early β a cooldown and a confirmation that help you choose intentionally. INSIGHTS THAT MOTIVATE See todayβs focused time, weekly charts, streaks, and how many hours youβve reclaimed. WIDGETS & LIVE ACTIVITY Glance at your progress from the Home and Lock Screen, and watch your session count down in the Dynamic Island. PRIVATE BY DESIGN β’ No account, ever β’ No ads β’ No tracking, no third-party analytics β’ Your data never leaves your device PAY ONCE. FOCUS FOREVER. One simple purchase unlocks everything. No subscription. No hidden fees. Your attention is worth protecting. Start your first focus session today. Optimized for iPhone Duo.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ByTime at none against LockHour Pro's 1. LockHour Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. LockHour Pro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ByTime asks for nothing beyond the download.
ByTime ships an update weekly, LockHour Pro every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ByTime | LockHour Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 3 days β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No β better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch β better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 17.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Baalavignesh A | Guan Feng Lai |
In-app purchases
ByTime
No in-app purchases
LockHour Pro
- Lifetime Unlock$2.99
Questions
Is ByTime free?
Is LockHour Pro free?
Do ByTime or LockHour Pro have ads?
Which is updated more often, ByTime or LockHour Pro?
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